Total Solution Rea's Radical New Routine

[Rea Cat]

evens

I'm sensing a pattern here - one day no change, one day loss. That's fine by me, as long as the pattern stays the same!

Breakfast
Really struggled to decide what to have this morning. Ended up with a chocolate shake and a cookies and cream bar in my handbag. Went for the shake in a meeting at about 10am.

Lunch
I split the cookies and cream bar into 4 actually. That helped. Do love these things.

Had half a packet of velvet crunch snacks this afternoon. Exactly half. Poured them out onto my desk and made a little 'one for me, one back in the bag' pile.

Tea
Gooey salted caramel pudding. I had no idea what to expect from this at all. Turns out I hated it. Absolutely hated it. Breathed through my mouth and swallowed the bugger down though. It's good, after all. My belly is full. God, it's amazing what you can eat when you set your mind to it (or rather think of a certain Boots-motivator).

Day 14 Verdict:
Yep. Still going strong. Feel a little yucky and shivery after managing to get that pudding down mind you. If anybody actually likes these things and wants them I'll be more than happy to post them out. First thing I've tried on exante that I've hated and wouldn't eat again if you paid me. Did a bit of dancing around exercise, and looking forward to my cheat and treat tomorrow night. Going to see a comedian and I'm damn well having a burger from McDonald's on the way, because I plan on going to the gym when I get back. I deserve it, even after the awful chip incident this week.

 

[Les]

How do u manage to cut the cookie and cream bar into four. I have to b so careful cause I could eat two straight off as like u I love them so much. What day is your weigh in day?
My weigh day is Saturday and like u I will have some kind of treat ( depending on a loss of course ).

 

[Rea Cat]

Teeny tiny little nibbles is how I manage it! I guess it's just mindful eating because it's something I enjoy. I do the same with the double chocolate bars, only I cut those into about 16-24 tiny pieces and try and only eat a few at a time spread out over an hour or so!

I weigh in every day, which is how I judge if I'm okay to indulge or not. I really want this burger tomorrow, but if it's not a good weigh in in the morning after a good day today I will most likely only have half a burger rather than an whole one and drink a Slender Sip to fill up my belly!

 

[Rea Cat]

0.6kg

Hmm. Not as much off as I'd have liked again this morning but it's something. Dragged myself out of bed at about 5.45 so I could do some of my crazy dancing before washing my hair - not sure what time we'll be back from the comedian tonight so needed to get it in somewhere. Wouldn't have wanted to do it before I go, as my hair gets sweaty and icky, and I'm not sure what time we'll be back when I go the gym so it could be today, it could be 1am tomorrow morning. Did 20 minutes and my watch usually gives me ten minutes' exercise at work (running up and down the stairs sucks) so fingers crossed I close the green ring!!


Breakfast
I want to try and skip breakfast if possible to be honest; eyeing up the calories and carbs in this burger I want so much tonight. Got to be really careful. If I cave it'll just be a half a cookie or something, fingers crossed.

Lunch
Didn't cave! Had half a bowl of strawberry delight at 12.30 and a slender Sip. Still chugging away on probably twice as much water as usual, but I'm so excited for tea it's worth it. McDonald's is like my biggest vice. Have also convinced the flatmate to let me get it on the way home from work, so I don't have to eat it with him and see him eating fries and other things I'll want.

Tea
It happened. I am lying here as i write in post-cheeseburger glow. I feel totally euphoric. I feel this may need to be a fortnightly treat. One quarter pounder and two chicken selects (I threw the third one out the window, no word of a lie, so I couldn't be tempted to eat it. I don't think I'm above rooting it out the bin after earlier incidents this week). No guilt, just pure pleasure. I'm going to lie back and bask in this while I can. Savvy treat - only 10g of carbs over my goal, and only 300 calories over too. Hitting the gym later so should be able to shift those calories just fine.

Day 15 Verdict:
So, two weeks of exante. 14lb lost in the first week. 3lb put back on in the last day of week one and first day of week two. Then 7.5lb lost in the rest of the second week. Big thumbs up from me. I've got a long way to go but it'll do for a good start!!

 

[Les]

Iwow what a fantastic loss. Well done.
My hubby and I have just got back from our 2nd walk I was bored, so off we trundle down one hill up another which I must admit I didn't struggle getting up. Can't wait for the morning for my first weigh in.
Do u have a fitbit perhaps we could b friends for challenges I love doing them.. Have a great night les x

 

[Hodgys_mrs]

Good luck with the weigh in tomorrow les
Up at 5.45 that's commitment for you

 

[Les]

Thanks. Will let u know x have a good weekend x

 

[Rea Cat]

First time in the gym for three years. Only managed 40mins of light exercise, but I feel good.

Have any of you found that you sleep less when you're in ketosis? I'm getting an average of 4.5 hours a night but I'm feeling amazing and energetic despite that?? I wondered if it was normal? I kind of miss my sleep and lie ins, even though I don't need them??

Unfortunately I don't have a Fitbit les - it's the only one I've never had/don't have. I've still got a jawbone up and a misfit shine but now I use my Apple Watch. It was pricey but I wanted it because I wanted something I could use for swimming too, as I'm hoping to start doing that again this year too.

 

[Les]

Well done for going to the gym I admire u. I still don't have the confidence to go to our gym as they are so fit and make u feel very conscious of yourself.
I don't think my body goes into ketosis with what I'm doing. Do u have to b on three pkts a day for this to happen?
Shame u don't have a fit bit we could of been buddies but an apple fit watch must b cool.
Have a great weekend les x

 

[Les]

Have put weight loss on exante page. But I'm so pleased have managed to drop 5lb xx

 

[Rea Cat]

Les - I think it depends what gym and what time you go. I joined PureGym - it's the one the boy goes to, so we can potentially go together, and it's open 24 hours, so I can find quiet times to go. On their web page, when you log in, it also tells you how many people are there at that moment in time. I was a little apprehensive, because I thought the same as you, but mostly people seemed to be absorbed in what they're doing. I got no funny looks or disapproval (even as the only woman in there, and a size 22 one, at that, sweating away doing relatively little). It was reassuring.

Congratulations on your loss! I'm made up for you! What a great start! Are you going to have a little treat today to celebrate?

 

[Les]

I still admire u so much . I live all the way down in Devon on the west coast we only have one gym near me but not to worry I have my exercise bike which I use and twist my waist on etc.
I don't know what to do about a treat
Perhaps I might have one tonight. For my tea I'm having butternut squash chips with two fried eggs I'm so looking forward to that I think it will b ratty of chips x

 

[Hodgys_mrs]

Well done on the loss les
Anita

 

[Rea Cat]

0.4kg

Majorly encouraging. Ate off plan yesterday but I was so careful with trying it to go over the amount of carbs I'd have on exante, and the gym must have helped too. Skipping breakfast again because I'm off-plan at lunchtime too - helping a friend take some stuff to the tip and then having tacos for lunch. Negated the worst part of that idea, which is that she usually buys soft tortillas to put the meat and bit and bobs in rather than taco shells. How many grams of carbs in a tortilla?! An astounding amount, that's how much. So I negated that by telling her I've already bought one of those stand and stuff soft taco shell kits so she doesn't need to get any! The soft shells in the kits are a hell of a lot less carbs (34.5g versus 12.7g) so I've decided I will have three tacos and a shake or bar in the evening.


Breakfast
Luckily, considering the above, I'm not hungry this morning. Nil by mouth (other than water, obviously!!). Might make some filter coffee this morning too.

Lunch
I had three tacos. Yummy yummy. My poor best friend had got us two lots of desert and I had to refuse both, but luckily my dad scoffed down a scone when he was helping us move things to the tip. Went for another 3k walk after lunch along the canal in the sunshine and my poor body is starting to feel a bit overworked for today. We will see regarding the gym tomorrow; I may go, but I may not and I won't feel guilty because of today's extra walk. Plus the tacos may have been slightly high in calories (750 overall) but kept my carbs nice and low at 46g. The option to have something Exante for tea is there, but to be honest it's nearly 6pm and I'm still stuffed so I might just leave it at that for today.

Tea
Just had a slender Sip. Was planning on having something but I'm only a tiny bit hungry at 9pm so it seems pointless. That'll fill my belly a little til morning.

Day 16 Verdict:
Naughty but controlled food, and plenty of exercise. It's been a good/nice/easy day. That's good enough for me. On day 6 of closing all my circles on Apple Watch for the first time (hit calorie goal, 30mins of exercise and 12 hours' activity each day) ever so I'm going for it again tomorrow to try and get the little achievement for a perfect week. Whether I just crazy dance or go to the gym remains to be seen; I feel I overdid it a little today. Legs are a bit tired.

 

[Les]

Well done . U certainly seem to know a lot about carbs etc.
Hope your body isn't aching too much today.
Do u mind me asking what a slender sip is? Les

 

[Rea Cat]

evens

No loss. I actually think I might have eaten too little yesterday but you live and learn. Aching today, think I did a bit much exercise too.

Les I've only learnt about the carbs thing from analysing what we're putting into ourselves with exante; it's easy to mimic that with other foods once you've got a handle on it. A slender Sip is a little black currant flavoured sachet that you add to water; it's basically glucomannan, a gelatinous kind of fibre, which you're supposed to have before meals to make you feel fuller and help with the fat burning (apparently). I've found them to be a good way to stave off hunger a little though, they just make my belly feel fuller as if I've had a cupasoup or something, so I tend to use them that way. They're pricey, but I was lucky enough to get a box free when I first ordered exante. They were good at getting me through the initial hunger pangs too.

Breakfast
Mint chocolate shake. A little bit mint aero tasting. Okay - in no way offensive, but also not that exciting either. Fast learning I have a trusty duo of shakes I like, so the sooner I get through all these odd flavours and can justify ordering more of those the better.

Lunch
Cookies and cream bar. Yum.

Tea
Tried the pasta carbonara tonight. Erm...It smelled delicious when it was cooking. It looked okay enough - I learnt from my macaroni mistake and I soaked it for 5 mins in boiling water before microwaving, and that helped texture wise. However...I'm still just struggling with the baby food texture thing. The taste was ok for half of it, but again I had to shovel the last of it down rather unpleasantly. What made it worse was I wasn't even really hungry, just thought I probably ought to eat it. Won't buy again but will eat the rest.

Day 17 Verdict:
Sigh. It's so easy to do exante at home. I haven't been hungry or tempted once today. Work tomorrow will be a nightmare as per usual. There begins the struggle.

 

[Freefall]

I am not a McDonald's fan but I must of been on the diet too long as a quarter pounder is sounding delicious right now. Weekends are easier in that I can go without my first pack till mid afternoon but it is the time when life is most likely to get in the way with meals out and takeaway food.
Might have to treat myself to an Apple Watch, I have everything else apple. I bought my daughter one for Christmas and I was instantly jealous.

 

[Rea Cat]

I was instantly jealous the moment my mam got one about 8 months before me; I'd been using a jawbone Up as an activity tracker and got her one too. She got that into using it that when the strap on hers snapped my dad took her straight to the apple shop and got her one (purely as an activity tracker, she still wears her proper watch too!) and I was so jealous. They'd have let me have mine then too (in fact, the words were 'the sooner you get one of these the better'!) but I decided to hold out for the series 2, because I wanted a waterproof one; I like to swim and I don't like to take my watch off to shower/wash my hands etc. I know some people don't get on with them but I think it's wonderful. So easy to log workouts, and I've just discovered that with wireless headphones I don't need to take my phone in the gym. You can upload playlists to your watch and use them directly from it, and you can use Apple Pay on the vending machines etc! So handy!

 

[Freefall]

I do not need as much sleep in ketosis and my energy levels are much better. The only time is exercise I can feel the lack of extra energy boost, especially the second wind that you usually get when exercising.

 

[Rea Cat]

So glad it's not just me with the sleep thing - I'm only getting 4.5-5hrs sleep a night. It just feels like my body is running more efficiently. I get tired for an hour or so at about 3pm but other than that I also feel lighter brighter and more energetic.